Month: October 2014

Loneliness… has very little to do with location. It’s a state of mind. In the centre of every city are some of the loneliest people in the world… because our whole planet was just outside the window, I felt even more… connected to the seven billion other people… (Chris Hadfield, astronaut)

While visiting my Mom, who lives 45 minutes away from us, I was amazed at how the leaves were still dangling from the trees with so much greenery as where I live, almost all of the leaves have fallen. So coming back on Route 338, I decided to take a picture of the road while I was driving (I know, I know what you are thinking -)) and decided to paint this tonight from my kitchen-studio. I am still amazed at the quality of the paper in this sketchbook… it can take tons of water and behaves like a high-class watercolour paper. I love it! While I was painting I realized that the scenery had no telephone poles, no hydro lines… a landscape from back then.

Lors de ma visite chez ma mère, qui vit à 45 minutes au sud de chez nous, j’étais étonnée de voir que  les feuilles étaient encore pendantes des arbres et avec tant de verdure car où je vis, presque toutes les feuilles sont tombées. En revenant sur la route 338, je décidé de prendre une photo de la route pendant que je conduisais (je sais, je sais ce que vous pensez -)) et de la peindre ce soir de ma cuisine-studio. Je suis toujours étonnée de la qualité du papier dans ce carnet de croquis … il a la capacité d’accepter beaucoup d’eau et se comporte comme un papier aquarelle de grande qualité. J’aime cela! Alors que je peignais, j’ai remarqué que le paysage n’avait pas de poteaux de téléphone, pas de lignes électriques … un paysage d’antan.

Paper: Aqua Pentalic Journal
Colours: Aureolin Yellow, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson & Cobalt Blue
Location: Les Coteaux, Québec, Canada

Who so neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future.
— Euripides

I am trying a new watercolour paper that I bought from Amazon and it is very interesting and not too expensive… about the same price as the Moleskine sketchbooks. It is called “Pentalic Aqua Journal” and is a European milled 140 lb. neutral pH paper. This paper was recommended by one of my sketching friends, Larry D. Marshall. The paints take a long time to dry with it, but the quality is good. I found out today that I was accepted in Charles Reid’s Watercolour Workshop that will take place in Cape Ann next June — yeah! I also found out that I would be having a group vernissage in Hudson on June 5-7, 2015. Next summer will be a busy summer -)

Je suis en train d’essayer un nouveau papier aquarelle que je l’ai acheté sur Amazon et il est très intéressant et pas trop cher … environ le même prix que les carnets Moleskine. Il est appelé “Aqua Pentalic Journal”. Ce papier a été recommandé par un de mes amis croqueurs, Larry D. Marshall. Les peintures prennent beaucoup de temps à sécher avec ce papier, mais la qualité est bonne. J’ai découvert aujourd’hui que j’ai été acceptée dans l’atelier du maître Charles Reid, qui aura lieu à Cape Ann en juin prochain – oui! J’ai également découvert que je ferai partie d’un vernissage de groupe à Hudson du 5-7 Juin 2015. L’été prochain va être un été très occupé -)

Paper: Aqua Pentalic Journal
Colours: New Gambodge, Raw Sienna, Alizarin Crimson & French Ultramarine
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada

 

The process of drawing is, before all else, the process of putting the visual intelligence into action, the very mechanics of visual thought. Unlike painting and sculpture it is the process by which the artist makes clear to himself, and not to the spectator, what he is doing. It is a soliloquy before it becomes communication. (Michael Ayerton).

If you look closely, you will see that the paper has many erased lines as I started over the same painting about three times… then I gave up and switched to a drawing of this antique copper candlestick holder that is attached to the fireplace’s mantle.

Si vous regardez attentivement, vous verrez que le papier a un bon nombre de lignes effacées car j’ai recommencé le même tableau environ trois fois … j’ai laissé tomber et passé à un dessin de ce chandelier en cuivre antique attaché au manteau de la cheminée.

Fountain Pen: Platinum Desk Pen EF DP1000AB
Ink: Noolders’ Lexington Grey
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada

It is a mistake to think that the practice of my art has become easy to me. I assure you, dear friend, no one has given so much care to the study of composition as I. There is scarcely a famous master in music whose works I have not frequently and diligently studied. (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart–1787)

Even though this painting is quite ordinary, for me it is a milestone as I think that I have just changed the way that I paint… even in a very small way, to me I am moving in a new direction. Let me explain… first, it is a painting without any ink lines which I have been struggling with for the past two years, second I am quite proud of the way that I painted in the layers of colours for the trees. Third, as I have just been accepted as a new member in the Artistes Hudson Artists, I am planning on painting many more paintings of this quaint village. I was so busy painting the tree tops that I disregarded the road, and it takes up too much space. In my top painting, I cropped it the way that I should have painted it.

Même si cette peinture est tout à fait ordinaire, je pense que je viens de changer la façon dont je peins … dans une très petite mesure, je m’en vais dans une nouvelle direction. Laissez-moi vous expliquer … en premier lieu, c’est une peinture sans lignes d’encre et pour ceux qui connaissent mon blog savent très bien que ça fait deux ans que j’essaie, et deuxièmement je suis très fière de la façon dont j’ai peint les couches de couleurs dans les arbres. Troisièmement, comme je viens d’être acceptée en tant que nouvelle membre des  Artistes Hudson Artists, j’ai l’intention de peindre de nombreux tableaux dans ce village pittoresque qui est Hudson. J’étais tellement occupée à peindre la cime des arbres que je négligé de tenir compte de la route, et elle prend trop de place. Dans la première peinture, j’ai recadré la peinture pour éliminer une partie de la route.

Paper: Saunders Waterford CP 8″x 8″
Colours: Alizarin Yellow, Indanthrone Blue & Burnt Umber
Location: Hudson, Québec, Canada

 

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourish’d by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.
— Shakespeare, Sonnet #73

The leaves have fallen from most trees now and we are preparing for the coming winter. The sky was beautiful today for a small fraction of time and I was able to take a photograph of it and then paint it later in my kitchen studio.

Les feuilles sont tombées de la plupart des arbres et nous nous préparons pour l’hiver à venir. Le ciel était magnifique aujourd’hui pour une petite fraction de temps et j’ai pu prendre une photo et peindre plus tard dans mon atelier-cuisine.

Paper: Handbook Travelogue Series Sketchbook
Colours: Alizarin Yellow, Cobalt Yellow, Burnt Umber, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine
Fountain Pen: Platinum Desk Pen EF DP1000AB
Ink: Noolders’ Lexington Grey
Location: Les Cèdres, Québec, Canada

Each painting is an exploration in unknown country, or as Manet said, it is like throwing oneself into the sea in order to learn to swim. (Prunella Clough)

Although there are many flaws in this painting, I find that it has the good bones for a future and more elaborate painting. Let me explain… The sky is not overworked, which is good. Then there are two buildings juxtaposed one in front of the other, giving interesting depth to the painting. Then there is a truck right smack in the middle of the two buildings, which abuts and makes the depth more dynamic (had you seen that?). Then the front fence introduces the eye into the scenery and on top of that, on the right hand side of the red building, the eye is lead into infinity… yeah! The greens are terrible, the shadows are wrong, but in a future painting, that can be fixed… hopefully -)

Bien qu’il existe de nombreuses lacunes dans ce tableau, je trouve qu’il a de bons os pour une peinture plus élaborée. Laissez-moi vous expliquer … Le ciel n’est pas surchargé de travail, ce qui est bon. Ensuite, il existe deux bâtiments juxtaposés l’un en arrière de l’autre, ce qui donne une profondeur intéressante. Ensuite, il y a un camion entre les deux bâtiments, qui bute et rend la profondeur plus dynamique (aviez-vous remarqué cela?). Puis la barrière en-avant introduit l’œil dans le paysage et en plus de cela, sur le côté droit du bâtiment rouge, l’œil est conduit à l’infini … yeah! Les verts sont terribles, les ombres sont maladroits, mais pour un futur tableau, ceci peut-être réparé … j’espère bien -)

Paper: Handbook Travelogue Series
Colours: Hansa Medium Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue
Fountain Pen: Platinum Desk Pen EF DP1000AB
Ink: Noolders’ Lexington Grey
Location: Les Cèdres, Québec, Canada

“After rain after many days without rain,
it stays cool, private and cleansed, under the trees,
and the dampness there, married now to gravity,
falls branch to branch, leaf to leaf, down to the ground
where it will disappear — but not, of course, vanish
except to our eyes. The roots of the oaks will have their share,
and the white threads of the grasses, and the cushion of moss;
a few drops, round as pearls, will enter the mole’s tunnel;
and soon so many small stones, buried for a thousand years,
will feel themselves being touched.”
~ Mary Oliver

“No artist is pleased. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” (Martha Graham)

Today was a difficult day at school and I needed to calm my nerves and spirit… Putting my head in the fridge, I could not find a potential fruit/vegetable that I felt like drawing tonight… until my eyes turned and saw these three bananas lying there, waiting to be the belles of the night. I wanted to mention that for those of you who are interested in the subject of art, painting, tips and books there is a fabulous website that I refer to very often, and where I have bought books from. Gurney Journey’s website is amazing and is well worth perusing.

Aujourd’hui a été une journée difficile à l’école et j’avais besoin de me détendre et calmer mes nerfs et mon esprit… En mettant la tête dans le frigo, je ne pouvais trouver un fruits/légumes que je voulais dessiner … jusqu’à ce que mes yeux se tournent et voient ces trois bananes qui attendaient d’être les belles de la nuit. Si le sujet de l’art, peinture, trucs, livres, etc. vous intéresse, le site de Gurney Journey est incroyable.

Paper: Bockingford
Colours: Hansa Medium, New Gambodge, Burnt Umber, Winsor Green & French Ultramarine
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada

Art is living stopped by a moment of wonder.
— Kenneth G. Mills

The day was crisp and full of autumn flavours. For this painting I drew with ink the two buildings and the sign post, and everything else was drawn with a lead pencil. For the front row of grasses, I painted with vertical strokes. What do I decide to draw with ink? Usually the buildings and the stuff that is man made… and usually I will outline in pencil the organic/nature items, such as trees, grasses, etc.

La journée était claire et pleine d’odeurs d’automne. Pour cette peinture j’ai dessiné à l’encre les deux bâtiments et le poteau de signalisation, et le reste avec un crayon de plomb. Pour la première rangée de graminées, j’ai peint avec des traits verticaux. Qu’est-ce que je décide de dessiner avec de l’encre? Habituellement, les bâtiments et les choses qui sont fabriquées par l’homme … et en général, je vais dessiner au crayon la nature, comme les arbres, les herbes, etc.

Paper: Handbook Travelogue Series
Colours: Hansa Medium, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna & French Ultramarine
Fountain Pen: Platinum Desk Pen EF DP1000AB
Ink: Noolders’ Lexington Grey
Location: Les Cèdres

Life is like a book. Do not skip any chapter and continue turning the pages. Sooner or later you will understand why each chapter was needed.
La vie est comme un livre. Ne saute aucun chapitre et continues de tourner les pages. Tôt ou tard, tu comprendras pourquoi chaque chapitre était nécessaire.

These three tiny apples gave me a few intakes of breath as they did not wish to be drawn it seems. Then I realized that my Aureolin Yellow was granulating and killing my greens… so by my fourth try, I switched from Aureolin Yellow to Hansa Medium and the results were better. I am still struggling with painting without using an ink line drawing before, and I wonder why I find it so difficult, especially when I draw with lead before… so theoretically, it should be the same painting experience? Alas, it is not.

Ces trois pommes m’ont donné du fil à retorder car elles ne voulaient pas se faire peindre! Puis j’ai réalisé que ma couleur jaune aureolin  granulait et rendait mes verts secs et granuleux … et avec mon quatrième essai, je suis passée de aureolin  à hansa et les résultats se sont améliorés.

Paper: Handbook Travelogue Series, grand portrait size
Colours: Yellow Hansa, New Gambodge, Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada